


Only a Solemn Man

by Spitfire007



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Drug Use, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 22:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8227522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spitfire007/pseuds/Spitfire007
Summary: One shot look into the after care between Billy and Goodnight after a memory -induced nightmare.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning for light drug use.

Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal.  
Only a solemn man who brought him fruits  
_Thanked_ him; and then inquired about his soul.  
~ “Disabled” by Wilfred Owen

_He can hear the sound of the battle drawing closer to his position, can practically feel the heat of rifles on the back of his neck. The hair on his arms begin to rise from that familiar feeling of his death approaching. He tries not to focus on it, instead on the next target on the battlefield._

_His finger barely pulls the trigger back when he hears a bullet slam into the solid rock next to his head._

“Goody.”

_His name is far off. The guns are too loud. The agonizing screams of the dying dig into his ear, chewing at his brain._

_Something hot and thick is dripping down his face. He moves his hand to investigate whatever it is, staying as low as possible._

_His hand comes back crimson. His heart doubles its beat. He wasn’t shot, he heard the bullet hit the rocks. He didn’t feel any pain._

“Goodnight!”

_The voice was closer this time, it sounded concerned. Did he get hit after all?_

_His heart was working overtime. He couldn’t get a good breath. He couldn’t speak. He was dying. That was all there was to it. Another sharpshooter must have got him._

“GOODY!”

Billy is on top of him, legs spread over Goodnight’s hips. His hands holding tightly onto his wrists as he stares down into Goody’s eyes.

“I…” Goodnight starts to say but Billy touches his face with those impossibly cold hands. He flinches slightly from it causing Billy’s chest to heave with a sigh.

“You shouldn’t drink that much before bed,” Billy offers, moving off his body to walk over to the table where their bags are. Goodnight notices that several lanterns are lit in the room so Billy must have tried to let him ride the nightmare out before waking him. He wished he had that much faith in his own self. He knew he didn’t have the strength to fight them anymore.

“It was an excellent bottle of whiskey,” Goodnight counters, but his voice isn’t in it. Neither is his attention. His heart is going too fast to get a good breath in and he feels sick to his stomach. He pushes himself up to sit with his head in his hands, trying to stabilize ...anything. His heart, his head, his lungs. He just wanted something to slow down.

“Here,” Billy demands, giving him the opium laced cigarette. Goodnight takes it, feeling the moist tip touch his tongue as he takes a long drag from it.

Billy doesn’t say anything else, only moves back onto the bed, sitting against the headboard before looking at Goodnight expectantly.

He moves quickly, limbs far too shaky to really move any other way. His head lays back against Billy’s bare thighs as he stares up at the other man’s face, offering up the cigarette.

“No, I’m alright.” Billy breathes, his eyes telling Goody that they are almost out and will need to buy more soon.

Goodnight doesn’t offer again, closing his eyes to take another long drag as Billy’s hands come to rest on both sides of this temple, rubbing firm circles into the sides of his head. He can feel the drug making its way past his nerves, blanketing them in a nice, warm glow.

“I was nearly shot once, you know.” Goodnight begins, but frowns when Billy grunts out a laugh.

“I’m sure many men have thought about shooting you,” Billy explains making Goodnight open his eyes, just to roll them.

Goodnight ignores him, settles back into the pressure from Billy’s fingers as he takes another long drag. “I was talking about my rebel days.”

Billy only sits silently so Goodnight continues. “I was up on a ridge, looking down. I...well, I was picking off those that stayed in my sights too long.”  
Billy’s fingers move away from his temple causing Goodnight’s eyes to snap open. His eyes rack desperately across Billy’s face looking for any sign of displeasure but it is empty. As usual. Billy only raises an eyebrow in question after the silence swallows the room for too long.

“I don’t remember the rest of it.” Goodnight finally sighs, turning on his side to press his face into Billy’s cool thigh. Billy’s hand moves to his exposed shoulder, rubbing down into Goodnight’s neck with firm and measured pressure. “What time is it?”

“Sometime between dawn and midnight. Your watch is over there.” Billy says, the light of the lanterns turning his bare chest shades of red and orange. Goodnight wants to mention it, but he’d get no response. Billy never responds to compliments about his body even though he receives them often. Just yesterday, Goodnight had bought the soft white shorts that Billy was wearing currently and told him just how nice they looked on him. Billy had ignored him, frowning at how expensive they must have been. He was probably thinking that Goodnight had already wasted all his earnings on a simple pair of underwear.

That wasn’t true, of course. Goodnight had bought the silk shorts and a bottle of expensive whiskey. His money wasn’t gone completely until after he paid the bartender.

“You can arrange another alley fight tomorrow.” Billy says completely reading Goody’s mind.

“Arcade is itching to prove himself against you.” Goodnight breathes out the last drag of the cigarette before Billy takes the stub to put in the ashtray on the night table. “You are much faster than him.”

“He’s not looking for a gun match, Goody. He’s looking for blood.” Billy shrugs, his hands still trying to ease the tightness out of Goodnight’s shoulders.

“Either way, you will win.” This is the only thing Goodnight can say with absolute certainty tonight. He’s grateful for it.

“Are you ready for bed now?” Billy asks, his hands coming to a stop to rub one thumb lightly over the scruff on Goody’s jaw.

Goodnight only nods, moving to allow Billy to slid in behind him. He smiles slightly when Billy makes a slight ‘oof’ sound when he wiggles back into him a little faster than he should have. One of Billy’s arms slips under his neck, as the other comes to rest on his ribs. Goodnight inhales deeply, this peaceful feeling was better than any cigarette Billy had ever made for him. It takes Billy only a few seconds of stillness to fall fast asleep, much to Goodnight’s displeasure.  
He wanted to tell Billy thank you. For the patience. For the cigarette. For the firm touches. For the lanterns left on. But the best thing he can do is let Billy sleep. He knows he must be exhausted. Goody knows that he can’t be easy to sleep with. With the nightmares. The neediness.

Maybe he should buy Billy something.

But what?

His knives and guns were all custom made. So was his clothing. His horse was the best that money could buy. He really didn’t smoke that much. Or drink.

Billy’s cool hand comes to lay over Goody’s eyes. It causes his breath to hitch for a moment.

“Stop thinking and go to sleep.” Billy nearly purrs, sleep clinging onto every word.

“Do you need a new watch?” Goodnight can’t help but insist.

“We have your watch.” Billy whispers, tucked tight into Goodnight’s neck. “Besides, I’m the only one who reads the time anyway.”

That was true. It felt like there was nothing that Goody could do for himself anymore. He absolutely hated how much he enjoys that fact as well.

“Sleep.” Billy’s voice again.

“What if I have another…”

“I will be here.”

“You are already exhausted…”

“ _Yes_ , so sleep so I can.” Billy’s words are firmer but his hand is gentle on Goodnight’s hip as he begins to draw circles over the hip bone.

There is a silence for several long seconds before Billy’s hand falls off Goodnight’s eyes. His other hand stills over Goody’s hip. Fast asleep again.

Goodnight realizes that his heartbeat has settled into a steady pace. With that revelation, the feeling of exhaustion collapses on top of him. He drifts off to sleep easily. His last thought is deciding what to buy Billy tomorrow with the winnings.

A book. Something in Korean.

The fact that book would be extremely hard to find in Volcano Springs is completely lost on Goodnight Robicheaux as is the fact that Billy Rocks already has everything he ever wanted.


End file.
